Author: zentralmodul

Mario Toni kindly asked me to use some of my compositions for his videographics. After he showed me a rough cut I was impressed by his professional work and attitude. So, we came to an agreement and here it is:

The most compositions start with the mood I have at that moment. I felt confused and needed a song that helps me to find a way to clear my thoughts. I searched for my inner center. The place in my mind I go back to when I have lost my way. So, the name of the song was set.

My work started with the beat as most times. The chords I wanted to choose should bring me out of every tension. The sound I choose for is as necessary as the basic chord itself. Most times I sit hours on it for the programming. The sound is a part of the composition, because the harmonies in it coalesce with the basic chord. Next followed the bass line, as simple as possible, just to settle the mood I captured so far.

I early felt in love with the sound of the Hawaiian guitar. Its open release and clear sound brings me in a good mood. But as an artist I ever search for possibilities to expand what already exists. So, I chose no guitar to generate that sound again, but a harp-guitar simulator that creates nearly the same basic sound. It let me edit harmonics, envelopes and dynamics. As the basic sound was created plus my favourite analogue hall, I started to improvise by playing over the existing background. I composed two melodies I liked and didn’t wanted to miss one of it. So I had the idea to use one for the text- and one for the refrain- song part. Now it works like a singer, not like a part of the background instrumental.

The first arrangement followed. The bridge is ever a challenge to me. It takes a long time to find something here to make it a special one until all falls back into the endless harmony of the refrain. Now it was necessary for me to find a distance to the created composition. It helped to rate what I have done so far. So, I started two weeks later with clean ears to do the final arrangement and mixdown.

It was in the beginning of 2015. You have to know that one of my hobbys is to study the history of electronic music. I noticed early that the productions of the band “Talk Talk” in the mid 80’s had an outstanding quality in expression and sound quality. I ordered now every LP they released on Audio Disc. Unbelievable, they did it in the 80’s. I wanted to know everything about the band. How was the process in production? Who was involved?

Tim Friese-Greene the producer had a hand for the technique and an ear for the right sound. He and the leader Mark Hollis seemed to have a grateful understanding. It looks like they worked very hard on every production. At this time Mark Hollis stamped the following words:
“Before you play two notes learn how to play one note – and don’t play one note unless you’ve got a reason to play it.”

Word … What followed was to produce a track with this strategy. I questioned every note and every sound I played. Everything that is left in this instrumental was scrutinized and I tried to make it sound as perfect as I can.
No sound mastering was needed at the end, also no sum compression. I liked the idea to give this song the maximum in dynamic, but perfection in every single sound.

To ever work like this would drive me nuts, but if there is uncertainty in new productions I remember what Mark Hollis said …

I needed to do a final composition for my planned LP. So, I started with the idea of a synthetic heartbeat again and set it to 60 bpm. It felt so slow like it was near to stop. Now I had this picture in my mind. At night, a man who is lying on the critical care unit connected to all these life support instruments and his heart is near to stop beating.

Many people with an asystole who were revitalised told, as their heart stopped beating they left the body and hovered over the situation. They saw themself lying and how the doctors worked to bring them back to life. They felt so freed and well that they wanted to tell the doctors to stop, that it is all as good as it is now. Then they spoke of a clear white light that grows and attract them.

I started with a 15h studio session at first, followed by another three. I let it all out musically, thoughts who effected my head and my heart. The mixdown I did in weekly steps.